Not far from the royal city, there is a special small town.
tarial.
grateful.
In ancient languages, tarial means gratitude.
The name of this town is Taryal. In the beginning, King Garland, who was still a prince, brought hundreds of veterans and orphans who had no way to go here and established a small village. After seven or eight years, it has developed into a small militarized town.
Although the residents in this town are old or young, they all have the same strength as reserve soldiers. As long as an order is given, an army of tens of thousands can be assembled here in one day.
King Garland has announced that all soldiers who sacrificed for the country or had to retire due to serious injuries will be resettled by the country - just for this, the young king received the gratitude and support of all the soldiers at the bottom.
The resettlement method is based on the development model of Taryal Town.
Several new villages have been established in various places since the end of the war in Kanal.
The temperature in the King City of Aaron Landis in spring has always been warmer and hotter, and now it is the afternoon, when the sun is burning like fire.
There is a large training ground in the corner of the town, which is always the busiest place in the town at any time.
The large training ground is divided into several places, and people of different ages train or compete in different areas.
At this moment, in one of the areas, under the scorching sun, a group of young children around ten years old were training in sweat under the scolding of a one-armed instructor.
Judging by their age, they say they are children, but their faces can hardly see the innocence and immaturity that belong to children, and they appear extremely calm and mature.
As the sun gradually went down, the instructor gave an order to end the training and left on his own.
Some children left with them, while others stayed and continued to practice actual combat with their peers.
With a loud bang, the uncut bronze swords slammed together heavily.
One of the two boys staggering back two steps, fell to the ground, gasping for breath, sweat soaking through his temples.
The boy standing was also sweaty, his chest heaving slightly, and his indifferent sea-blue eyes gave off a feeling of loneliness.
The boy sitting on the ground took a few breaths and raised a hand.
"Novi, I admit defeat."
As soon as he finished speaking, the other boys who were watching let out good-natured laughter.
"Wow."
"I lost again."
"How many times did you say you lost this month?"
The boy who was laughed at them snorted, got up, and patted the dust on his body.
Then, he walked over to Novi and patted the other person on the shoulder.
"Tsk, you were a weak chicken when you first came in more than half a year ago, and now most people can't beat you."
Novi opened his hand indifferently, and the boy didn't take it seriously, just shrugged.
When this guy Novi first came, his face was cold, and he looked like he was refusing to be thousands of miles away, which made people look uncomfortable.
The young boys looked unhappy with each other, and naturally they had a lot of conflicts in the process of getting along.
But after getting along for a long time, he realized that Novi didn't look down on them, but just didn't want to be close to people.
So he was relieved.
All the children who came to this town are orphans with their own unbearable pasts. Therefore, they can understand each other and never ask about each other's past, or do things that reveal or insult each other's past.
For these mature children, if they have time to do that kind of childish and useless things, it is better to step up and improve themselves.
"Novi."
Suddenly someone shouted.
"Someone is looking for you over there."
Novi frowned.
Who is here looking for him
He walked outside the training ground and turned around to see someone waving at him in an alley not far away.
He walked quickly into the remote alley, where his titular master stood.
... Said that he would take the time to teach him a thing or two, but in fact, he left him here and didn't care.
Novi was thinking so expressionlessly, someone came out from behind Kaihos, wearing a very long cloak, and a wide hood covered his face.
The man took off his cape and hood and smiled at him.
He was taken aback.
"King Garland? Why are you here?"
"I gave you the token, but you never used it to see me in the palace."
Garland said, he sighed.
"You don't want to see me, so I have to come see you."
"No, it's not that I don't want to see you or anything."
Novi explained in a panic.
"Because time is tight, I want to get stronger as soon as possible, and then... So... "
He said half of it, realizing that he seemed to be revealing his panic, he mumbled the rest of the sentence, and closed his mouth.
"Well, I saw it, Novi, you've become stronger."
Garlan laughed, he stopped teasing the other party deliberately, and reached out and touched the boy's head.
I haven't seen him for more than half a year, and the boy has grown a little taller. The pale skin that used to appear abnormally because of not seeing the sun for a long time has now turned into a healthy wheat color, and it looks a lot rougher.
The once thin body has also become a little stronger.
More importantly, the spirit radiating from his body was much better than the last time we met.
Moreover, it seems that there are companions of the same age here.
If the companions who trained with Novi saw this scene, they would be shocked.
In the training camp, it is known that Novi has a withdrawn and eccentric temperament, and is extremely disgusted by others touching him.
But now, he actually stood obediently and let others touch his head.
"Novi, I'm going to the King City of Kanal."
Garlan stated his purpose for coming here to find Novi.
"Do you want to go with me?"
The boy's face stiffened.
Then, he pursed his lips and shook his head firmly.
"I... can't go now."
"I don't want to go back to Canal as the one who has died of illness. If I go to Canal again, I hope to be the general of the Aaron Landis vanguard who conquered Gasdard."
His eyes were gloomy, but his tone was unusually determined.
"So, until then, I won't be half a step into Canal."
"Really, I understand, that's what you want to do."
Garland did not persuade.
He smiled and touched Novi's head again.
"But if that's the case, then you have to work harder, and you won't have much time left."
he said, looking down.
The slender eyelashes that fell down concealed the icy edge that passed through the golden pupils.
"Only five years at most..."
The gentle words, but like an invisible blade, make people palpitate for no reason.
Gastard.
The country that took his important people one after another.
He will never forgive.
"If that's the case, I'll go back."
Garlan put on his wide hood again to hide his prominent blonde hair and features.
He said, "I'll leave in a week. Until then, if you regret it, you can always go to the palace to find me."
Novi hesitated for a moment, and suddenly, he grabbed Garlan's hand.
The boy who had been bowing his head suddenly raised his head, staring at Garlan with dark blue eyes.
"I'll replace him!"
"Um?"
"Black Knight, I will replace him!"
"… "
Garland's eyes paused inaudibly.
"You waited for me for a few years."
Holding Garlan's hand tightly, Novi's eyes stared straight at Garlan.
He had heard all those rumors.
Because of the death of the black knight, other countries are gloating and becoming restless.
The death of a family member and the need to stabilize the situation, King Garlan must have had a difficult time during this time.
Novi could only comfort Garlan clumsily with the method he thought of.
"Don't worry, I will grow up and become stronger soon, I will definitely replace him as the new black knight, help you protect Aaron Landis, help you fight—"
"You can't replace him."
The words Novi mustered great courage to say were categorically denied.
The child's eyes froze for a moment, he lowered his eyes and let go of the hand holding Garlan.
"No one can replace him."
"Uh... I'm sorry, I'm too self-righteous, someone as powerful as the Black Knight, I can't possibly replace him..."
Novi stammered and said embarrassingly.
However, his words were interrupted again.
Garland said: "Similarly, Novi, there is no one who can replace you."
"… "
"In this world, no one can replace another person."
Garlan looked at Novi and said.
His expression looked calm, but a little more serious.
However, from the corner of his eyes, Kaihos, who was standing on one side, caught a glimpse of the boy's right hand hanging by his side.
The hand seemed to be unconsciously clenched tightly, and then slowly released.
Kaihos could vaguely see the traces of the boy's palms being deeply pierced by nails.
He lowered his eyes, only to feel the tightness in his chest.
"No one can replace the black knight in the past, and the same is true for Novi who will fight for me in the future, do you understand?"
Novi nodded obediently.
Garland's eyes softened.
"Go back, it's been too long, I have to go too."
Novi hummed, turned to leave, suddenly remembered something, and turned around again.
"King Garland."
"Um?"
"I know that the area around the Karnal Palace is buried."
A cold light flashed in Novi's eyes.
"The vicinity of the palace belongs to the upper city, and all the nobles and officials living there are Canal's nobles and officials... So, this time is the best opportunity."
…
More than two months after the end of the war, King Garlan is about to go to the royal city of Kanar.
Karnal will become part of Aaron Landis, and the Karnal people will become Aaron Landis, therefore, King Gallan must go to Karnal, wearing a symbol of Karnal's identity. The heraldic ring, as the new King of Kanal, to appease the hearts of the original Kanal people.
The reason why they left so late was because of the safety of King Garlan, so the sixth army led by the veteran Kareni went first, and joined forces with the troops left in the king city of Kanal to destroy the army in Kanal. Remnants of the Gasdadians.
But just when everything was ready, the unexpected happened.
After two years of honesty and honesty, the Geshus, who had been defeated in the great war two years ago, are now once again gathering an army to go south and invade the north.
At this moment, the military report from Heya, the commander of the Northern Legion, was placed on the table.
"The Gaishu people have been seriously injured by the war two years ago, so they have been recuperating for the past two years, and they dare not act rashly."
Kaihos said solemnly.
"But their country's property is poor, and they have to rely on the materials plundered from other countries to maintain it. The materials they plundered from other small countries in the past two years must have been seriously insufficient, so this time they went south again."
"And the most crucial point for them to make up their minds..."
He paused and said,
"... the death of Lord Heimos."
Garland didn't speak, but he understood in his heart.
The existence of Heimos and Kaihos is like the most sophisticated large-scale weapons, and has a strong deterrent effect on other countries.
Now that one of the two major threats has disappeared, of course, some countries are eager to move.
Especially Gaishu.
The title of Heimos Black Knight was almost established by stepping on the face of the Geshuren.
A few years ago, he was overwhelmed by the Geshus in the north, and the Geshus suffered heavy casualties in the first battle two years ago. Instinct fear.
It is said that the name of the Black Knight can stop children from crying among the Gish.
In the past two years, the Geshu people did not dare to go south to plunder easily even if they were extremely short of supplies. In fact, it was because of the deterrent power of Heimos.
Now, the mountain on top of his head was gone, and the Geshuren, who were good at taking advantage of people's dangers, immediately called over him unceremoniously.
Sitting on the malachite throne, the young king pondered for a while, and then gave an order.
"Kaihoth, you lead the First Legion to the North."
The scale of this battle is probably not small, and only small-scale troops and general generals cannot be sent over.
And now, the only one who can lead the entire legion to the north for support is Kaihos, who is the cavalry commander.
"Your Majesty, can your plan to go to Kanal be postponed?"
Kaihos asked solemnly.
The original plan was for him to accompany Garlan to the King City of Kanal, but if he changed to the north now, he would not be able to accompany Garlan.
"I'm afraid not."
Nanna's priest Suoga, who was standing beside him, shook his head and said.
"The time for His Majesty to go to Kanal has long been announced. Now, the people of Kanal are waiting."
"If you back down at this time, it will greatly affect Your Majesty's impression in the hearts of Canal people, and those Canal nobles who are opposed will definitely take the opportunity to discredit His Majesty."
"And, not only Canal, other countries are also paying attention."
Xie Muer, who was standing opposite Suojia, spoke up.
"Then let me accompany His Majesty to..."
"No, Xie Mu'er, you must sit in the royal city."
Garland rejected Schimuel's proposal.
During the period when he left the royal city, the people who stayed in the royal city were very important.
And the only one who can make him fully trust and have the ability to sit in the king's city is currently only Xie Mu'er.
Kaihos hesitated for a moment, then persuaded.
"Your Majesty, I always feel very dangerous, otherwise I'll wait until I come back..."
"No, Lord Kaihos, I know that you are worried about His Majesty's safety because you can't accompany him, but if His Majesty delays the trip, it will not only damage your reputation, but also lose a great opportunity."
Sogha interrupted Kejos.
"As you know, the actions of the Gasdadians destroyed a third of the Kanal city. As far as I have found out, most of the dead Kanal people, except for some wealthy businessmen, were It is the nobles and officials of Canal, who control almost all of Canal's power."
"If they hadn't died, even if His Majesty had the name of righteousness, it would have taken a lot of effort to take Kanal's power back from this group of people, but now that they are dead, Kanal's power is now completely empty. ."
"His Majesty can easily seize Canal's power when he passes by now."
"If it is postponed for another two or three months, the noble city lords in other areas of Kanal will take the opportunity to intervene. In this way, there will be no less trouble in the future."
"My trip to the King City of Kanal went according to the original plan."
Garland said.
"But, Your Majesty..."
"Don't worry, Kaihos, even if you're not here, I'll be protected by a large army by my side. When I get to Kanal, there are still Kareni and the Sixth Army."
Suojia was silent for a while, he glanced at Garlan, and suddenly whispered: "If Lord Heimos is still there..."
"He's gone!"
The tone of the young king's interruption of Suojia's words was rare and severe, and his voice suddenly increased, which surprised Suojia and others.
Probably because he never thought he would use such a tone, Garlan himself was stunned for a while.
After a while, he spoke again.
This time, the tone of his voice changed back to the calmness just now.
"He's gone, Suojia, don't always think about relying on someone who's gone, you won't be able to do anything."
Suga bowed his head.
"… I'm sorry, Your Majesty."
he whispered.
The matter has been decided, and after everyone bowed and saluted, they all withdrew.
Leaving behind Xi Muer, when he finally walked out of the room, Kaihos glanced back.
Empty room.
huge throne.
The slender figure of the young king sat on the cold malachite seat, his long golden hair scattered on the side of the green armrest.
He sat, very quiet.
The indifferent look on his side cheeks made it impossible to guess what he was thinking when he was sitting quietly at the moment.
…
[He is no longer there!]
[Don't always rely on someone who is no longer there.]
Cayhors thought.
Are your Majesty's words talking about Suojia... Or, His Majesty himself
…
…
"This is a great opportunity. King Garlan will leave the royal city and go to Kanal."
"As a person of inferior bloodline, he dares to sit on the highest throne with shame."
"Very greedy, constantly taking away what should be ours."
"Maintaining those lowly commoners, but constantly persecuting us noble people."
"He is not qualified to be king of Aaron Landis at all!"
"All along, there are many guardians around him, and we can't act rashly."
"But now, the black knight Heimos is dead, the sun knight Kaihos must go to the north to fight the Geshu, and the priest of Shamash must sit in the king's city."
"In the past two years, he has managed the king's city so well. We couldn't find a chance when he was in the king's city, but now he has taken the initiative to leave the safest place."
"This is the best time for us to get rid of that arrogant and self-righteous king—"